Fireproof floor



(N01 Model.)

o. W. NORGROSSL 'FIREPROOP FLOOR.

No. 531,210. Patented Deo'. 18, 1894.

'i Nrrnn STATES PATENT Varios.

ORLANDO W.V NORCROSS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FlREPROOF FLOOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,210, dated December 18, 1894.

Application filed October 31,1894.

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ORLANDO W. NoRcRoss, 'of the city and county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Fireproof Floors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and inwhich- Figure l represents a vertical section through a section of flooring with my improvements applied thereto-said section being taken parallel to the supporting beams. Fig. 2 is a similar section taken transversely to thc door beams. Y Fig. 3 represents part of Fig. l upon an enlarged scale, to more fully illustrate my said improvements, and Fig. 4 shows a piece of what is commonly known as wire lathing such as may be used to plaster upon in carrying out my invention.

Said invention consists .in combining with the supporting beams and flooring laid over the same, a series of transverse furrings fastened to the bottoms of said beams, and two layers of suitable wire cloth orv netting arranged one above and the other below said transverse furrings, to plaster upon, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

As is well known, nearly all of the metal lathing now used to plaster upon, consists of a single thickness or layer of about one-half .inch mesh wire netting, or expanded metal, having small spaces at short distances apart, or the various kinds of corrugated sheet metal ceilings, with holes punched through at short distances apart. All of these desirable kinds of metal lathing are expensive, for'the reason that they have to be fastened at quite short distances apart. With the ordinary wire lathing the furrings must be from six to twelve inches apart, but. for expanded metal they may be about sixteen inches apart. For the punched, corrugated sheet metal the furrings may be still farther apart, but the objectionmay be urged to them that not enough mortar can be put on and adhere securely, to properly protect the flooring above.

The main purpose of my invention is to improve upon said present methods of fire-proofing, by the employment of a double wire ceiling, composed of two layers of wire cloth or serial 110.527,525. (No man.)

-will now proceed to describe the same more in detail.

In the drawings, A represents part of one of the floor beams; B, a layer of ycorrugated sheet metal laid on top thereof to receive the planking C; said planking being grooved longitudinally to receive the plaster D. On

top of said planking and plaster is preferably laid a layer of sheathing-paper, felt or similar material E, upon which is, in turn, laid the top flooring F. This construction is preferably the vone employed in practice, in connection with my aforesaid improved mode of tire-proofing the under side of the door, but as other constructions may,in practice,be used therewith, I do not limit myself thereto.A

The parts marked G are the cross-furrings, which, in this instance, consist of angle-irons, as is indicated in Figs. l and 3. They may be fastened in position by means of wire hooks H, passed around the same and hooked over the bottom flan ges of the iioor beams, as is shown'in the drawings, or by any other suitable, well known means.

The two layers of wi re cloth or netting I, I previously alluded to, for holding the plaster J, may be of any design of mesh and size of wire suitable for the purpose. One layer, I, is stretched over the tops of the furrings G, between them andthe bottoms of the doorbeams, while the other layer, I', is stretched over the under sides of said f urrings, and the two layers are united and fastened together at I2 about midway .between the furrings, by means of wire. or other suitable material passed in an out `around the wires of the woven fabric or netting, or by any other suitable and well known fastenings.

By the Vabove construction of employing a double layer of wire lathing stretched over and under cross-furrings, and fastened together between said furrings, it is obvious that a very strong metal ceiling is produced IOO to receive and hold the plastering, J, even though the fnrrings be placed as far as ten feet apart. Said construction also admits of a much thicker coat of plaster being applied than ordinarily, and consequently correspondingly enhances its utility as 'a fire-stop.

'lheinclined sections of the fabric between the furrings and the central points of fastening, I2, serve as braces to each other, and therefore produce a continuous wire truss across the whole length of the room, the cffect being to hold the plaster so firmly and securely that when dry the furrings might, with safety, be wholly removed, if desiredthe hooks attached to the floor-beams and the woven fabric serving to securely hold it 'in place, even though the bearings be as far as ten feet apart.

The method I propose of carrying out my invention in practice, is as follows: Assuming that the Hoor-beams have been placed in position in the building, the fnrrings are secured to the under sides thereof, with one layer of the wire cloth or netting, I, over the same, and the other, l', under them, both being stretched taut after having been applied. They are then drawn together at l2, midway between the furrings, and fastened. Platforms are then built under the beams, within about one-half inch of the wire ceiling, and finally the plaster, concrete, or whatever of a similar nature is used, is dumped in, spread, and slightly rammed to a thickness of about one-half inch below the wire (against the platform) and the same above said wire-the plaster or other material also being preferably spread over the flanges of the floor-beams, as is shown in Fig. 2, to lnore firmly hold the plaster in place, and also to render the ceiling more thoroughly fire-proof.

It will be understood that I make no claim to the use of wire fabric for metal ceilings, in a broad sense, my invention being limited to the use of a double layer of said fabric, arranged, fastened and combined with the other parts of a floor, as pointed out in the claims.

1. A lire-proof ioor comprising in combination the oor-beams A; the covering on top thereof, consisting of the layer of corrugated sheet metal, B; the grooved planking, C; the plaster D, filled in said grooves, and the top flooring F, arranged one above another in the order named, preferably with a layer of sheathing-paper or similar material interposed between said planking and the top iiooring; and the bottom covering under said beams, consisting of the cross-furrings G; means for fastening them to the bottoms of beams A; the two layers of wire fabrics, I, l one spread above, and the other under said furrings, united and fastened together midway between the furrings, and plaster J, applied to said double wire ceiling, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the floor-beams ot' a building and the covering on top thereof, with the bottom or ceiling covering, consisting of the cross-furrings G, means for fastening them to the bottoms of said oonbeams, the two layers of 'wire fabric I, I', one spread above and the other under said fui-rings, united and fastened together midway between the furrings, and plaster, J, applied to said double wire ceiling, substantially as and for 7 5 the purpose set forth.

ORLANDO lV. NOROROSS. Vitnesses:

A. A. BARKER, A. J. PARK. 

